GREENHOUSE AND HOTHOUSE FLOWERS 181 



shades of blue. Bearing in mind that we can get Primula beauty 

 at mid-winter, and that without the aid of a hothouse, we recog- 

 nise how valuable the plant is. Many growers take care to sow 

 successions in March, April, May, and June, so as to get regular 

 batches of plants in flower over as long a period as possible. 

 The seed is rather dear, but a good strain is worth what it costs. 

 The normal treatment as to sowing and soil suits perfectly. The 

 plants are best in a frame during the summer, where they can be 

 given abundance of light and air. If they are grown in a green- 

 house, care must be taken to keep them close to the glass while 

 they are small. There are other valuable Primulas for indoor 

 flowering besides the Chinese. Floribunda, with yellow flowers 

 in spring; kewensis, a yellow-flowered hybrid that blooms in 

 winter; and obconica, lilac, spring flowering, are three particularly 

 desirable ones. Obconica is now represented by many varieties, 

 differing in colour from the parent. It is a very free-flowering, 

 bright, and easily grown plant, but gives trouble to some growers 

 by causing a painful skin-rash. Gloves should be worn when it 

 is handled by those who are subject to this affliction. 



Rose. See special section. 



Salvia. The brilliant Salvia splendens is a well-known, winter- 

 blooming greenhouse plant, and it is so easily grown that it ought 

 never to be overlooked by amateurs. Its flowers are borne in 

 great profusion, and are of a vivid scarlet colour. But it is not 

 the only winter-blooming Salvia. Heerii, also scarlet, is another 

 that will flower in the greenhouse in the dull season. There are, 

 too, several fine varieties of splendens, one or two of which may 

 be preferred to the type. Bruantii, for instance, is splendid, and 

 grandiflora is also excellent. There are two good blue Salvias. 

 The best known is patens, which has flowers of a deep " Oxford " 

 blue, and is a very useful plant, but it is a summer bloomer. 

 Azurea, also blue, flowers in summer and autumn. There is a 

 beautiful rosy red Salvia named Bethelli, which blooms in summer. 



